


Comfortember 8: Lashing Out

by FlyinBanachab



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Comfort, Gen, Hayate's fine don't worry, Light Swearing, hospital room
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:20:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27494131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlyinBanachab/pseuds/FlyinBanachab
Summary: Hawkeye visits Havoc in the hospital after her encounter with Pride.
Relationships: Jean Havoc & Riza Hawkeye
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15
Collections: Comfortember 2020





	Comfortember 8: Lashing Out

  
When the door to Havoc's room swung open, he expected to see just another nurse, same as the past 12 times, and mentally braced for more needles. Instead, he found himself looking into amber eyes of one Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. Just a social call, or was this business? Either way, Havoc's heart warmed at the sight. Hospitals are damn boring places to be, especially since the guys all got transferred. 

"Hawkeye, hey!" She smiled, but-- wow, she looked _tired_.

"Good to see you, Jean.” 

"Wuf!" Agreed the floor.

Wuf? Havoc blinked in surprise, craning his neck to try and see-- "Black Hayate? They let him in here?"

Riza scooped him up so they could see each other. The little guy was unusually animated, wagging his tail and panting and straining toward Havoc. "They wouldn't dare deny the Fuhrer's personal secretary. Say hello, Hayate. Gentle!" Havoc held out his arms and the dog practically jumped into them, eagerly licking all over his hands. 

"Haha, hey there buddy, good to see you too." Havoc smiled and rubbed his head. Hayate pranced around on his lap, stretched his front paws up to Havoc’s chest to try and lick his face.   


"GENTLE!"   


"It's ok Riza, he's fine, this is-- ow, haha!" Hayate nipped him on the wrist.

 _ **"HAYATE, DAMMIT! WHAT DID I SAY? BAD DOG!**_ " Riza abruptly swept him onto the floor with a jerk of her forearm. There was a little yelp and skittering of claws on tile as Hayate scrambled away, under a chair.  


Havoc stared at her in slack-jawed shock. She’d never, _never_ treated Hayate like that before. She stared back, eyes wide, speechless. Hayate whined softly.  


"Shit, Riza,” Jean breathed, “he was just playing.” But of course she knew that. “Are you-- are you okay?"  


Tears welled up in her eyes, and his stomach dropped. When Riza cries, you know it's bad.

"No," she whispered.

Oh _shit_. "What's wrong?" Havoc couldn’t even guess. The number of things that might possibly be wrong as this point was higher than he could count.  


Riza bit her lip and shook her head, wiping her eyes. "Never mind. It's ok." She crouched down then, out of Havoc's sight, murmuring teary apologies. "Oh Hayate, I’m so sorry boy, I didn't mean it, come here, do you want to see Jean again?"

She returned Hayate to Havoc's lap, where he whimpered and curled up. Poor little guy. Havoc gently moved him to rest on his chest, where he could feel him, and looked back to Riza. She wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Come on," he said. "My legs may be toast but my ears work fine. Talk to me."

"I-- I can't."

“Riza.”

She just shook her head.  


He ran a hand through his hair. She can’t talk about it. Is that can’t talk about it like, it’s too dark, or can’t talk about it, like, it’s state secrets? Not that it matters. Either way, not a lot he can do about it from here. "Well, at least tell me-- are you going to be alright?"

When she answered, her voice was barely a whisper.

" _I have to be._ "

Havoc shut his eyes, wincing at the sudden breaking of his heart. She wasn’t just saying that to be all brave and tough or whatever. She really _did_ have to be okay, for Mustang’s sake. If she fell apart, so would he. And if Mustang fell apart... what hope did they have? Hayate nosed at his neck and whined.  


Okay, there is _one_ thing he can do from here.

Havoc moved the dog gently back to his lap and gestured for Riza to come closer. As soon as she was in range, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to his chest, wrapping his arms tight around her. After a moment, she wiggled her arms under his back in turn, dropped her head onto his shoulder, and didn’t move for a very long time.

When she finally did pull away, her eyes were red and puffy, but he swore there was a little more color in her cheeks.

“Those are free, now,” he said with a lazy smirk. “You come get one anytime.”

She gave him a small, grateful smile.   


“I will.”  



End file.
